Red Sox Reliever Rich Hill Leaves Game With Forearm Injury

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BOSTON (AP/CBS) — The Boston Red Sox were ready to enjoy a needed day off. Now they’ll be thinking about the health of one of their early bullpen surprises.

Left-hander Rich Hill walked off the mound after grabbing near his left elbow in Boston’s 7-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. Trying to snap off a curveball on a 3-2 pitch to Adam Dunn, Hill immediately reached near the elbow.

“It’s a pitcher’s worst nightmare,” said reliever Daniel Bard, who replaced Hill with the bases loaded. “I kind of felt for him and had to switch gears.”

Manager Terry Francona and a trainer rushed to the mound and Hill, who had retired 24 of the 30 batters he faced before Wednesday, went to the clubhouse.

Hill, a non-roster invitee to spring training, signed as a minor league free agent last June. He’s become one of the more consistent pitchers in Boston’s bullpen since he was recalled in early May, throwing eight scoreless innings.

Since signing last year, Hill had gone 12 scoreless innings over 14 appearances. He’s the first pitcher in Red Sox history to go scoreless over his initial 14 outings, the team said.

Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was the first to the mound and motioned for the medical staff.

“He said he felt something pop in there and it was kind of burning,” Saltalamacchia said. “Hopefully he’s OK.”

Francona said the initial tests were good, but Hill went for an MRI exam. The club said he suffered a “forearm injury.”

“He felt a lot of discomfort in his forearm, which you could see,” Francona said. “When somebody grabs his arm like that you’ve got to get him checked out.”